Hello everyone, I am going to be a sophomore at UTSA. Initially, I was granted the CAP program but due to my mother being laid off in early June, I am unable to attend UT Austin this coming fall because the changes to my FAFSA did not kick in until after the deadline to accept my admittance. I really had my heart set on UT and the courses I have already taken at UTSA all transfer there which is great. I was planning on transferring from UTSA to UT Austin or Texas A&M and I am unsure of what I should do. If I transfer to UT Austin (granted my FAFSA stays the same) I will be able to finance myself at UT. If I transfer to A&M, some courses are not direct equivalent transfers which would delay me getting into my major but it would be MUCH MUCH cheaper for me to attend TAMU as I live in the area. Should I find a major that I can get into at TAMU and transfer there in the spring of 2016 and eventually transfer into my desired major? Or should I apply to UT Austin in the spring and go there instead. For anyone curious, I am wanting to major in public health. I would really LOVE to transfer in the spring as I am not entirely too content where I am right now.
It sounds like UT would cost you 3 yrs worth of housing more more than TAMU. Will you have to commute by car or do you have lower cost method? TAMU has a school of public health but it’s focused more on rural health - have you looked into it??
I have a lower cost method at TAMU. I could also commute. Both work. But both would beat UT housing by a long shot. The cost of living in College Station is substantially lower than Austin. And I have briefly. I will look more into the program but if their public health program isn’t what I thought it would be, I would major in something else and if I don’t have the requirements to get into that specific major, I could transfer into it internally; does that sound like a bad idea? Cost is still a big factor for me and it would be stretching my pockets if I stayed at my current institution any longer than I have to. I also am on the pre med path so going to a CC would not be ideal for me. I want to go to professional school after my undergrad so I would like to save as much money as possible.
I have a lower cost method at TAMU. I could also commute. Both work. But both would beat UT housing by a long shot. The cost of living in College Station is substantially lower than Austin. And I have briefly. I will look more into the program but if their public health program isn’t what I thought it would be, I would major in something else and if I don’t have the requirements to get into that specific major, I could transfer into it internally; does that sound like a bad idea? Cost is still a big factor for me and it would be stretching my pockets if I stayed at my current institution any longer than I have to. I also am on the pre med path so going to a CC would not be ideal for me. I want to go to professional school after my undergrad so I would like to save as much money as possible.
TAMU doesn’t have your major and would not accept all your transfer credits. While you’d save money commuting, the costs associating with having to find another major and replicate some classes (thus adding time to your degree) doesn’t seem that practical. There’s also an issue of fit -this is a bit as if a student were admitted to Oberlin and wondering whether they should go to W&L. All in all, it sounds like you don’t really want to attend TAMU and would rather attend UT. You say you can self finance it with the FA you got, right?
Work in the Fall and go to Austin in the Spring (I assume your CAP admission is deferred - check whether you even have to apply again since you accepted admission and couldn’t go for financial reasons, which may be a sufficient reason for them to hold your spot.)
Yes. I can self finance UT with the FA I got (If all things stay the same). And A&M is a good school too. I liked it when I went there. I like both school in different ways. And I will check. I feel like I would fit in at both campuses. What it comes down to mostly is overall cost. I would probably have to internal transfer from an “easier” major to my desired major. This is pretty common at both schools. An advisor said they aren’t supposed to promote that but plenty of people do it. But I am just afraid for whatever reason I may not end up with my major I want.